Re: Yaocho (comment on Takanohana-Takanonami playoffs)

["G. Jay Walker" <walker@NHRC.NAVY.MIL>]

>It seems that twice Taka put up 14-1 numbers at the 
>end of the basho, but was denied the yusho in the 
>play-off.  The opponent who beat him those two times?  
>Ozeki Takanonami.

>I also know that Nami beat Taka 2 times in a playoff. 
>I think in all of these cases it would be to the 
>benefit of the heya to let the ozeki win over the 
>yokozuna. 

For what it's worth, I'm of the opinion that neither 
of Takanonami's playoff victories was tainted.  If the 
Hatsu '96 playoff was fixed, it was a masterful acting 
job.  Takanohana dominated the match, got Takanonami 
turned almost all the way around but lost as Nami made 
a desperate but successful attempt at Kawazugake right 
before going down.  It would seem to have taken quite a 
bit of practice to get the choreography right (and 
remember, these guys reportedly never train together even 
if they are from the same heya).  

In and of itself, the Kyushu '97 match looks much more 
suspicious.  Nami got Takanohana a bit upright, tripped 
and threw him by uwatenage about 7 seconds into the match.  
However, a Nami victory over Tochiazuma earlier that day 
eliminated Musashimaru, the only other yusho contender, 
and Takanohana could then have lost to Akebono and avoided 
the playoff altogether if Futagoyama felt it was it their 
best interest to have Nami win the yusho.

Waka-Taka I'm not so sure about.

-G. Jay Walker